Obama Appoints Republican To Smithsonian Board

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Barbara Barrett, the chief executive of a Montana resort who served as U.S. ambassador to Finland under President George W. Bush, has been appointed to the Smithsonian Board of Regents.

President Barack Obama signed a resolution Thursday appointing Barrett to a six-year term on the Smithsonian’s governing board. Barrett is CEO of Triple Creek Guest Ranch. She previously served on other Smithsonian boards since the 1980s.

Barrett is a businesswoman and lawyer who held several executive posts. She was CEO of the American Management Association and served as deputy administrator at the Federal Aviation Administration. In 1994, she was the first Republican woman candidate for Arizona governor. Barrett also trained as a pilot.

She replaces Alan Spoon, a former Washington Post Co. president, who served on the board 12 years.